Personal and professional philosophy of recreation and leisure

Recreation & Leisure

Professional Philosophy on Recreation and Leisure

Recreation and leisure must play an important role in American society, even though it may be difficult for some Americans to come to terms with that concept. Driver writes that the guilt many Americans feel about recreation and leisure activities is a residual affect from the Puritan work ethic, which equates having fun with laziness, that has influenced American societies for centuries (Driver, No Date). However, she points out that many nations, Japan is an excellent example, have incorporated the importance of recreation and leisure into the national culture and identity (Driver).

In fact, recreation and leisure are important to every culture because they contribute many positive things to both the individual and to society at large. Specifically, recreation and leisure confers benefits upon:

The individual: Research shows that positive recreation and leisure activities can improve health, provide psychological benefits and even boost work performance.

The community: Recreation and leisure activities can help provide cultural identity and allow for social interaction within communities.

The environment: The need to provide recreation and leisure activities to a community often leads to public protection of lands for those activities, which directly benefits the environment (Driver).

Individual benefits

The physical aspects of exercise as a recreation and leisure activity are virtually uncontested. A regular exercise routine can extend life by improving cardiovascular health, lowering cholesterol levels and blood pressure, and strengthening the body's bones, muscles and joints (Driver). But the benefits of regular leisure and recreation activities can have a profound psychological impact as well.

Research by Parry found that regular recreation and leisure activities provided a psychological boost to a group of women, allowing them to derive self-esteem and their sense of worth from something other than traditional female roles such as cooking and cleaning (Parry, 2005). Similarly, a study by Shannon tracked the recreation and leisure activities of eight breast cancer survivors and found that, after being diagnosed with the disease, they made recreation and leisure more of a priority and came to depend on the psychological benefits they derived from these activities (Shannon, 2005). Clearly, positive recreation and leisure activities can help people feel good about themselves, which can lead to more self-confidence and overall improved psychological stability.

Recreation and leisure activities also can help people become more effective at work. Busy managers, who perhaps make the least amount of time for recreation and leisure activities, may be among the groups who are in need of leisure most. As was mentioned, physical activities such as exercise can lower blood pressure and even increase energy levels, which would both be welcomed in a hectic work environment.

Research by Iwaski, et. al. demonstrated that male and female managers in stressful positions who choose to make leisure a priority find that it becomes an invaluable coping tool (Iwaski, et.al., 2005). While there do appear to be gender differences in the types of activities selected, both men and women expressed that their recreation and leisure activities were critical to their physical and professional survival (Iwaski, et.al., 2005). And although children have not yet entered the competitive corporate world, a similar study by Caldwell et.al. found that middle school students who regularly participated in positive recreation and leisure activities found that they became more efficient and better focused, more aware of their community, and perhaps less likely to participate in substance use and abuse (Caldwell, et.al., 2004).

Clearly, recreation and leisure activities provide tangible benefits to the individual. Research has shown that people who regularly participate in positive recreation and leisure activities may find that they become physically healthier, feel better about themselves and perhaps become more effective in their professional occupations.

Community building

The link between recreation and leisure activities and cultural identity are well established. Activities such as Native American art, quilting, and even fishing in some societies, are passed down from generation to generation as part of the cultural fabric. Even the sport of lacrosse was passed down from the men of certain Native American tribes to their sons to teach them the skills of competitiveness, conflict resolution and agility they would need as men (Get the Facts, 2005).

But, as Driver points out, recreation and leisure not only preserve cultural identities - they also allow for cultures to mix and share experiences. Baseball, for example, may be a distinctly American sport, but when a field is built or a league is formed, people who identify with a variety of different cultures and ethnicities are able to participate. The same holds true when a community holds a craft fair, a town pride day, or a festival. People from a variety of cultures are able to come together, learn from each other, and contribute to the overall strength of the community.

It seems natural to conclude that an important component of a strong community is the availability of recreation and leisure activities that are accessible and can bring together all of the cultures of the community.

Environmental benefits

As we have seen, recreation and leisure activities provide numerous benefits for individuals and for communities. However, recreation and leisure activities also directly benefit the environment by promoting conservation.

For example, the Wilderness Act of 1964 protected more than 90 million acres of American wilderness for public enjoyment (Driver). The fact that the public enjoys outdoor recreation and leisure activities motivates the American government to set aside lands for this type of use.

It is not difficult to imagine what would happen if the situation was reversed. After all, vacant land is a shrinking commodity in America. If the American public had no interest in outdoor activities such as hiking, mountain climbing, biking or fishing, it would be hard for the federal and state governments to prioritize protecting lands for recreation and leisure. Those same protected acres could, quite conceivably, be dotted with condominiums, townhouses and strip malls. Instead, those lands are justifiably protected in the public interest.